U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,250 discloses another package similar to the one described above in which the flexible flap is an integral part of the upper part. Between the front surface of the upper part and the flexible flap there is a horizontal surface forming a step between the front surface and the flexible flap forming an abutment surface for arresting the upper part. The front surface of this package is provided with channels and projections forming a mechanism for disengaging the upper part. The irregularities in the front surface which is small as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,420 make it very difficult to provide this surface with print or text.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a package of the kind referred to above, which allows a major part of the side surface of the package to be provided with text or images. The package according to the invention has a front panel on the cover part which overlaps the front of the bottom part. In this way the front panel of the cover part can cover the whole front of the package, thus allowing for an increased surface to provide text or images.
Another object of the invention is to provide a package that is easier to open and close. The front panel of the cover part can be used to hold the cover part in its closed position without the need for a flexible flap as used in the prior art packages. For this purpose the package can be constructed in such a way that the cover part will come into frictional contact with the bottom part at the end of the closing and at the beginning of the opening movement. For the same purpose also projections can be provided on the front of the bottom part. The corresponding holes for receiving the projections will then be located at the lower part of the front panel of the cover part, and therefore they will not be at the most noticeable part of the front of the package so that they do not disturb.
The front panel of the cover part may extend completely down to the bottom part of the package so that it can rest on the surface carrying the package in order to improve the stability of the package. The cover part may be provided with a planar top surface that defines projections to hold a package stacked onto it in place.
According to a preferred embodiment the package is produced by pulp moulding. The packages are moulded and dried with the cover part in its open position. The freshly moulded product is very weak, and it is necessary for the lid to be supported. For this purpose an edge defined by the planar top surface and the front panel of the cover part can be used.
Further advantages and embodiments of the package according to the present invention and the method for producing said package are set forth in the independent claims.